


i care what you think.

by tyjo_exe



Series: sweet n' salty. [1]
Category: Bandom, Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Blurryface is an actual person, Bullying, Chubby Josh Dun, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, God Complex, Jaimie and Tyler fight a Lot, Jenna is MTF, Josh Dun & Tyler Joseph Are Best Friends, Josh Dun is a Sweetheart, M/M, Marijuana, Nihilism, Past Sexual Abuse, Pastel Josh dun, Physical Abuse, Rating May Change, Recreational Drug Use, Slow Burn, This Is STUPID, Tyler is kind of a dick, such a slow burn holy fuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 04:28:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11592939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tyjo_exe/pseuds/tyjo_exe
Summary: Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, there are a few things Josh Dun knows. Half of America lives within a 500 mile radius of Columbus. Columbus was rated the smartest town, nationally, back in 2013. The men's basketball team is a force to be reckoned with. And, lastly, you avoid Jaimie Joseph at all costs.Alternatively titled, "Blurryface is Tyler's twin and Josh just wants to survive sophomore year."





	1. i am simply very perplexed by your ways.

**Author's Note:**

> this story has mentions of drugs, abuse (emotional and physical), sexual assault, neglect, mental illness, and suicide attempts starting here and throughout the rest of the story. it's gonna be a bumpy ride, so if this isn't your cup of tea, don't read.
> 
> just stay alive, frens. |-/

          He’s always been a relatively easy target for bullies. With his preference of soft, “girly” colors, and his not exactly flat stomach, it would be more surprising if he no one had ever laid a hand on him in the past. Truth be told, Josh Dun gotten used to the consistent bruises that usually litter his stomach and arms. He gets dragged into the boy’s bathroom at least once a week, and it’s amazing how none of the teachers or any sort of administrative person seems to notice. There’s always whispers about him; the football team’s queer punching bag.

          Maybe the administrators were aware. Maybe they noticed every time Josh was dragged into the bathroom by the back of his shirt. Maybe they simply didn’t care. It wouldn’t be much of a shock, considering that the school was filled with extremely religious people who couldn’t care less about what happened to the little fairy boy. Not that Josh wasn’t religious, because he was; he just didn’t understand the idea of God, someone who was supposed to be all things “good and powerful”, being able to hate.

          What was the main point again? Oh, right. Josh is an easy target for bullies, and that’s the way it’s been for years. It started when he was twelve, the first time he decided he wanted to wear a dress out in public. His parents didn’t think it was a great idea; they hardly approved of him owning the clothes in the first place. They barely tolerated him wearing skirts and makeup in the privacy of their own home. Reluctantly, his mother allowed him to wear his favorite dress (knee-length, pastel blue, pockets in the front – oh, how he loved that dress) to school on a half day. As he walked out of the door that day, his father warned him, “if you get the shit beaten out of you, don’t come crying to me, because I warned you.” Josh had walked home from school five hours later with bruises littering his ribcage and a giant rip in his favorite dress.

          He never cried in front of his dad.

          But Josh was determined, okay. He liked wearing dresses and lip gloss and cute flats, and he wanted to wear these things whenever he felt like it; so, he did. Every day, for the last four years, he throws all caution to the wind and wears whatever the heck he feels like wearing. It ends up with him getting teased and pushed around and shoved and beat whenever he wears something remotely ‘girly’ to school, but even when he wears masculine presenting clothes, they still ways to tease him.

          He finds peace in outer space. Astronomy. He stares up at the night sky, almost every night, longing to be a part of the stars, practically begging God to have the aliens take him far away, to a world where it’s normal for boys to like wearing pretty things.

          And, even with all the pain he goes through, Josh still manages to be nothing but sweet and kind to everyone he meets. Nothing cruel or unpleasant leaves his lips, ever, which probably makes him a bigger target to himself.

* * *

 

          Where Josh is sweet, Jaimie is.. well... salty. Together, they're like chocolate covered pretzels. Different, but they work perfectly together.

          The eldest of five, and the only semi-responsible person in the house, Jaimie pretty much had to raise his four younger siblings. Tyler, his twin brother, helped out as much as he could as well, but with his rapidly declining mental health, his best sometimes ended up not being enough. Jaimie didn't resent him for that; not on most days. But, practically raising three younger kids (Zack, Maddie, and Jay) while still technically being a kid yourself was physically and mentally exhausting.

          Why was he raising these kids, then? Well, it's simple. Joshie's past and present are black and blue; and so is Jaimie's. But his black and blue were for completely different reasons.  The neglect came first, and it started with his mother. She found stress relief in a little white baggy and IV's to match. His father lost himself at the bottom of a bottle each and every night. His mother was neglectful, and his father ruled with an iron fist. A fist Jaimie felt across his face far too many times.

          For the first fifteen years of his life, all he knows is pain and abandonment.

          Then, he meets Allan. He's fifteen. That's when he starts smoking pot. Allan is his first kiss. His first handjob in the boy's locker room. He's Jaimie's first boyfriend. His first "I love you". He's the first boy to keep going even when Jaimie begged for him to stop. Jaimie starts snorting lines when he's sixteen. He breaks it off with Allan the summer leading into senior year.

          Then, Tyler slits his wrists in the bathtub, and life gets filled with more pain and more abandonment. But, then again, pain and abandonment is all he's ever known, so what right does he have to be surprised anymore?

          Tyler gets admitted into what the kids at school call "the loony bin", and Jaimie starts sleeping around, fucking practically anyone who was willing. It doesn't matter who it is, or even if the sex is good; all that matters is having sex. And according to Allan, it's all he was ever good for, anyways.

          The weed becomes a coping mechanism for him, and he starts smoking it whenever and wherever he can. And, yes, that includes the old art hallways that's near the parking lot at the end of second period. He's usually alone at that time, it's just him, his bubbler, and his weed. Usually, that is.

          He doesn't bother hiding his bubbler as he sees three figures enter the hallways through the parking lot. One's tall, with sandy blond hair and a build of a football player. The second is about Jaimie's height, with brown hair, but Jaimie manages to recognize this one at Ben Willis, swim captain, which leads him to believe that the blond George Price, the linebacker for the football team. What the fuck is a linebacker, anyways?

          The third person has Jaimie stumped. They're short and.. bright. Maybe a bit on the chubbier side, with bubblegum pink hair, wearing fishnets and a skirt with a fuzzy purple sweater. Chick? The three of them move closer and, nope, that's definitely a dude. Right? Yeah.

          Ben and George are practically dragging the shorter guy along, before they all come to a dead halt, and simply stare at Jaimie. Ben leans down, whispers something to the chubby guy, who nods and slowly starts walking.. over to where Jaimie is standing. Upon closer examination, this guy is pretty cute, if you can ignore the tiny amount of blood that's leaving from a cut on his cheek. He's wearing makeup, and there's a silver stud in his nose. He approaches, nervously toward Jaimie, and really, Jaimie is far too stoned for this, so he does what comes naturally for him. He takes a hit, the smoke filling his lungs blissfully. The cute guy looks at him, like he's going to say something, then blinks in confusion. "Why.. are you carrying around a vase?"

          Jaimie almost chokes on smoke from shock.


	2. i can feel the pull begin.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s smoke leaving the vase, and it has an awful stench to it. Josh’s face scrunches up automatically at the smell. Vases were not supposed let out fumes like that; they were just supposed to just contain water! Jaimie is practically choking on the smoke, which has Josh mildly concerned, but then the smoke is leaving the older guy’s mouth, and Josh can feel himself start to relax a bit.

          Okay, he’s fucked.

          Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, there are a few things Josh Dun knows. Half of America lives within a 500-mile radius of Columbus. Columbus was rated the smartest town, nationally, back in 2013. The men's basketball team is a force to be reckoned with. And, lastly, you avoid Jaimie Joseph at all costs. And yet, here he was, standing in front of Jaimie fucking Joseph, blubbering like a fish out of water and trying to sound remotely intelligent. Cue the theme music, because he feels like he’s in a damn sitcom.

          The older man is looking at him with an almost bewildered expression, blinking his dark brown eyes frantically as he tries to process the situation. There’s smoke leaving the vase, and it has an awful stench to it. Josh’s face scrunches up automatically at the smell. Vases were not supposed let out fumes like that; they were just supposed to just contain water! Jaimie is practically choking on the smoke, which has Josh mildly concerned, but then the smoke is leaving the older guy’s mouth, and Josh can feel himself start to relax a bit. The smell gets worse, though. It sort of reminds him of a skunk.

          “The… Vase?” Jaimie motions his hand towards the small, red and black vase in his hand, and Josh nods, frantically. “Yeah! Why do you have it? It’s kind of a weird thing to be carrying around a school, don’t you think?” Josh asks, subconsciously pushing his hair back as he bites down on his bottom lip. A small laugh leaves Jaimie, alongside a cough, but he’s smiling and Josh can’t help but smile back, even just a bit.

          A moment of pause, before Jaimie is pushing off of the wall he’s leaning against. “Uh… The art teacher gave it to me... To give it to my mom. I think they were in the same pottery class or somethin’.” He hums, causing Josh to blink. The art teacher was an old, mean lady by the name of Mrs. Ladovich, and Josh never would have guessed that she went to a pottery class, considering that she always skipped the clay lessons in the curriculum. Then again, Josh doesn’t take her art classes anymore, so maybe she’s changed. “Makes sense,” He concludes, cheeks flushing a small bit as he scuffs his feet against the ground.

          Jaimie’s staring at him openly now, dark eyes boring into Josh with a mixture of interest and… annoyance, perhaps. “What’s your name?” He finally asks, after what feels like ages, which makes Josh perk up. “Ah, Josh Dun. I’m a sophomore.” Josh replies hesitantly, ruffling his hair before letting his hands fall to his sides. Jaimie nods slowly, opening his backpack and practically throwing the vase into it. Josh can’t help but wince; it was a nice vase, and he hoped that it didn’t break while in there.

          “Well, Josh Dun, why did you come over here in the first place?”

 _Oh, right!_ Josh glances behind his shoulder, stealing a look at Ben and George are staring back, wide, almost cruel smiles on their faces, and he almost shudders at the look. These two had been the one who tortured Josh the most when he started wearing ‘girly’ clothes. They’re the main suspects when he leaves the locker room littered with bruises and bloody noses, but today, they promised, crossed their hearts and hoped to die, that if Josh were to approach Jaimie Joseph, they wouldn’t beat him up after gym.

          Jaimie had a rep, though, and Josh knew it. He was the bad boy. He wore dark clothes and Doc Martins and he tended to beat the shit out of anyone who even looked at him wrong. Rumors say that if you even mention one bad thing about any of his siblings (yes, including Tyler Joseph, even though him and Jaimie got into fights more times than the weather changed), and you’ll end up in the hospital for at least three weeks. So, yeah, Josh has been trying to avoid him for the last few months.

          “B-Ben and George wanted me to ask you when you were leavin’,” Josh mumbled, glancing down at the ground, finding his shoes to be more interesting than anything else in the hallway. Jaimie clears his throat, and Josh looks up again. “Leaving?” Jaimie repeats, slowly, and the sophomore nods slowly. “I dunno. They said that you were droppin’ out. Wanted me to ask when.” He feels himself shrinking back now, suddenly feeling like an ant underneath the other’s gaze.

          Jaimie lets out an audible sigh, looking over Josh’s head and towards the two jocks. George and Ben glance away, almost like they’re afraid to meet his gaze, which confuses Josh, but he doesn’t say anything. “I’m not dropping out, assholes!” The senior snaps, loudly, making the pink haired male jump back in surprise. “And stop getting your fucking victims to ask for you! You just wanted to see him get hurt, didn’t you?” Jaimie rolls his eyes, before flipping the two off. “Get the fuck out of here.” He snaps again, and then poof, Ben and George are gone, fleeing the art wing at the speed of light.

          Josh can simply stare in awe as the scene unfolds before his eyes. Never before has he seen someone make the two, scariest people he knows slink back in fear and run away with their tails tucked between their legs. He glances back up at Jaimie, who looks more bored than angry now, and he can’t help but let out a deep, shaky breath the didn’t know he had been holding in the first place. Jaimie glances down at him, before shaking his head and walking towards the doors to the parking lot, where the rest of the academic buildings were. “Come on, Dun. I’ll walk you to class. Don’t want those guys to jump you while I’m not around. Where you headed?” He commands, and Josh can’t help himself as he follows, scurrying after him like a lost puppy, muttering out a quiet “anatomy with Mr. Fernandez” as he clutches onto the strap of his messenger bag.

          For once, he isn’t afraid to walk through the halls. Because it feels like he’s got his own guardian angel next to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so, "the vase" joke begins.
> 
> updates won't always be this quick but i had time today, okay.
> 
> thanks to my fiance, who is practically the creator of jaimie and my number one supporter for this story lmao.
> 
> my twitter is @GOLNGTOOFAST and my tumblr is tyjo-exe. hmu. leave a comment.
> 
> stay alive, frens. 
> 
> |-/

**Author's Note:**

> basically, my boyfriend and i started talking about what would happen if blurryface wasn't just an alternate personality or a personification of tyler's insecurities and doubts, but a real, living person who was just like everyone else? and, much like everyone else, he falls in love with josh dun. oops?
> 
> obviously, this whole series is inspired by tøp; all four albums, and tyler joseph's "no phun intended" album. there's going to be heavy mentions to the songs in most chapters!


End file.
